Set of game pieces



Oct. 16, 1951 G. F.BucK 2,571,195

SET OF GAME PIECES Filed July 1, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 16, 1951 vG. F. BUCK 2,571,195 I SET oF GAME PIECES Filed July 1, 1949 s sheets-sheet 2 Y 1- A A A lil dii I" l qui* G. F. BUCK SET OF GAME PIECES Qct. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July l, 1949 F/e. 2/ f 1 Patented Oct. 16, 1951 W y Y SET OF GAME PIECES Gordon Fennien Buck, Glencoe, Ill.

Application July 1, 1949, Serial No. 102,602

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a game designed to test a players skill in constructing geometrical patterns from a plurality of component pieces adapted to be tted together in a wide variety of arrangements so as to form various geometrical patterns.

The object of my present invention, generally stated, is the provision of a novel game comprising one or more sets of geometrical pieces having indicia marks arranged thereon so as to permit the individual pieces to be arranged together in a wide variety of geometrical patterns but in accordance with a predetermined system and rules. Although the game is, on one hand, suiiiciently simple that it may be played by unskilled and inexperienced players and understood by young children, on the other hand, the game is inherently of the type which requires a considerable amount of skill to excel in, and calls for a high degree of mentalpower and perception, thereby imparting universal appeal to the game.

Certain other and more detailed objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention, reference may now be had to the following detailed description of certain presently preferred embodiments thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1-5 are, respectively, figures of five different species of square playing pieces which comprise together one of the sets of playing pieces which may be used in one embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 6-10, respectively, show another series of species 0f playing pieces which make up another set for use in another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 1l shows a numbered playing piece for use in connection with the invention;

Figs. 12-15 are views which illustrate the manner in which different types of playing pieces are combined in playing the game forming the subject matter of this invention;

Figs. 16-20 show illustrative designs into which the playing pieces may be arranged in playing the game provided by this invention; and

Fig. 21 is a view of a playing board which may be used in playing the game provided by this invention, f

of example, the square playing'piece 5 may be formed of any suitable material such as card-A Desirsame or different colors as desired. In any case,

they should have a color or colors which stands out in contrast with the color of the remainingl arrowheads located in the mid-points of the two f square area 'I in Fig. 2.

sides intersecting at the corners carrying the star. The square-quarter area l, is, preferably, colored with a different shade (e. g. green) from the colo of the remaining area of the piece. i

In Fig. 3, another square playing piece 8 is shown which hasa star located in the center, and two additional stars which are located in adjacent corners. Three arrows radiate from the center star with the arrowheads located at the mid-point of the three sides which intersect at the two corners Abearing the stars as shown. The square quarter areas I0 and ll are colored,.pref erably, with the same shadeas the color of the In Fig. 4, a fourth species of playing piece I2 is shown which extends the development scheme of the pieces 6 and 8 of Figs. 2 and 3 respectively, so as to cover three-fourths of the area of the square.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, a` playing piece I3 is shown wherein the scheme of development completely covers the Asquare playing piece.

Although my game may be played with only one set of playing pieces made up from the ve different species shown and described above in connection with Figs. 1-5, the game is made much more interesting and intriguing by having at least one additional set of playing pieces such for example as one made up from the ve species in Figs. 6-10. Referring to Fig. 6, a square Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a square Y playing piece 5 is shown having a star located on the center with an arrow radiating from the center and having the arrowhead intersect one of the sides of the square 'at its mid-point. By` way playing piece I4 is shown having a crown indicium located in the center thereof with an arrowradiating therefrom to one corner, as

shown. Y v .i

In this second series or set of playing pieces,v

the playing piece I4 corresponds to playing piece 5 in the iirst series as shown in Figs. 1-5. In Fig. 7 of the drawings, a playing piece I5 is shown wherein a crown indicium is located in the center with another crown indicium at the midpoint of one of the sides of the squares. Two arrows radiate from the center of the crown of the corners of the square adjacent the crown in the mid-point of one side as shown. The triangular quarter area of the square playing piece I 5 is colored for example, red, so as to distinguish it from the coloration of the remaining area of the playing piece. It will be seen that the playing piece I5 corresponds to playing pieceG.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 there are shown pieces I6,

17, 18 wherein two quarters, three quarters and all four quarters of the area of the playing piece are developed so that the playing pieces I6, I1 and I8 correspond, respectively, to playing pieces 8, I 2 and I3 in the first series.

, It will be understood that additional .series of playing pieces may be provided, as desired, although frcm experience it has been found that the two sets of playing pieces shown in Figs. 1-5 and Figs. 6-10, respectively, are adequate. Instead of having square playing pieces, the playing pieces may be made up from any equilateral polygon such for example as an equilateral triangle or an equilateral hexagon. Again experience has shown that a square playing piece is satisfactory.

In Fig. 11 a square playing piece 20 is shown having the same size as the square playing pieces in Figs. 1-10. The square playing piece 20 has the numeral "2 located thereon, it being understood that there are other square playing pieces of a similar type having other numerals located thereon as will be more fully explainedl below. If the playing pieces were of some other shape than a square, it will be understood that the numbered playing pieces would also have a different and corresponding shape or conguration.

In Figs. 12' and 14, I have shown and illustrated the two different ways in which individual playing pieces of the series shown in Figs. 1-5 may be combined. Thus, the playing pieces may be combined so that each arrowhead is opposed by an another arrowhead as shown in Fig. 12. On the other hand, the pieces may be combined in a diagonal direction so that each corner star is directly imposed by another corner star as shown in Fig. 14.

Referrering to Figs. 13 and 15, there is illustrated the two different ways in which the playing pieces comprising the set contained in Figs. 6-10 may be combined. In Fig. 13 the individual playing pieces are combined so that the corner arrows are directly opposed to each other while in Fig. 15 the pieces are arranged so that the mid-point crowns are directly opposed.

It will be understood, of course, that in making up the playing pieces any desired indicia may be used instead of stars, arrows, or crown. However, When more than one set of playing pieces is used it is advantageous to use arrows as one of the types of indicia on each set. In the appended claims, the different types of indicia that may be used has been generally designated as X, Y, Z.

In order more further to illustrate the nature of the game forming the subject matter of this invention I have in Figs. 16-20 shown several typical arrangement patterns which may be developed in playing the game. Thus in Fig. 16 a design is shown which comprises a playing piece 8 and three of the basic playing pieces 5.

The pieces are arranged according to the opposed-arrow arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 12. In Fig. 18 a five piece design pattern is shown based on the opposed-star arrangement shown in Fig. 14. The design in Fig. 18 comprises one of the playing pieces I3, four of the playing pieces and one No. 5 multiplier piece.

In Fig. 20 still another design or pattern arrangement is shown made up of eight playing pieces of the series shown in Figs. 1 5, plus one of the numbered playing pieces. The pattern is arranged on the opposed-star pattern shown in Fig. 14. The design comprises one of the playing pieces I4, two of the playing pieces I2, and ve of the playing pieces I0. The multiplier piece has the number 8 on it and this completes a symmetrical balance or design.

In Figs. 17 and 19 design patterns are shown made up of the playing pieces comprising the set contained in Figs. 6-10. Thus, in Fig. 17 an eight piece design pattern is shown made up of one of the playing pieces I8, two of the playing pieces I6, one playing piece I5 and four of the playing pieces I4. The pattern is made up on the opposed-arrow design as shown in Fig. 13. In Fig. 19 a six piece pattern or design is shown made up of four playing pieces I6 and two playing pieces I5, with a multiplier piece carrying numeral 6. It will be noted that the design or pattern shown in Fig. 19 may be extended to any length desired by merely combining additional pairs of the playing, pieces I6.

Although the game of the present invention may be played in its various forms, on any playing surface such as a table-top, flatboard, books, etc., it is desirable and advantageous to use playing boards or cards having a playing surface marked into adjacent areas having the same shape Aand size of the playing pieces in use. Referring to Fig. 21, such a board is designated generally at 25. This board may be formed of wood, cloth, metal, cardboard, Masonite, plywood, etc. It will be understood that the surface is marked out into squares which correspond in size to the individual playing pieces shown in Figs. 1-11. At opposed ends of the playing card, blank areas 25 and 21 are provided which serve as retaining areas for pieces not yet tted into a design pattern, as willbe explained hereinafter. There are no strict limitations on the size or dimensions of the playing board 25 although it has been found that one having eighteen squares on ons side and nine squares on the other side is satisfactory.

The game and the various modifications thereof, may be played with the playing board down and fully exposed to all players, or there may be variations of the game in which the individual players board is concealed from the view of the other players so that none -of the players is aware or the progress which his competitors are making in completing their designs. It has been found that if the playing board is provided with a cloth surface such as a felt pad, and then the back sides of the playing pieces are similarly provided with a cloth surface such as a felt pad, the pieces will stick in position in the individual squares of the playing board even when it is tilted up at a steep angle. It will be appreciated that the structure of the playing board 25 may be elaborated on so that it is provided with a folding standard for supporting it in an upright position.

One of the unique and attractive features of my novel invention resides in the fact that it may be played in many Vvariations and forms, all folparent after theV game hasbeen'played a few times.V

The following table sets forth the' type and required number of the playing pieces shown in Figs. 1-11 for playing the Vgame in'the manner described in detail hereinafter:`

Type of Playing APieces Number Basic Star Pieces-Fg. l

Basic Crown Pieces-Fig. One Star Pieces-Fig. 2. One Crown Pieces-Fig. T wo Star Pieces-Fig. 3 Two Crown Pieces-Fig. 8 Three Star Pieces-Fig. 4 Three Crown Pieces-Fig- 9 Four Star Pieces-Fig. 5..... Four Crown Pieces-Fig. 10 Multiplier Pieces-Fig. 11

Total Number of Pieces The thirty-two multiplier pieces are distributed as follows: 3 twos, 4 threes, 5 fours, 4 ves, 4 sixes, 3 sevens, 3 eights, 2 nines, 1 ten, 1 eleven, 1 twelve, 1 fteen.

Eample Four players set up as two opposite partner teams. Each player has a playing board 25 and the partners sit opposite each other. The first drawer or starter can be selected by having each player turn up one of the playing pieces, letting the highest numbered piece turned up determine the starter. The playing pieces are mixed or shuied at random as by being shaken ina container or by being moved around face down on the table.

Beginning with the starter and proceeding from right to left (i. e. clockwise), each player draws four pieces at a time. Drawing continues around the table four times so that each player draws a total of sixteen pieces. Each player arranges his pieces on his playing board in complete design groups or partially designed groups. Ordinarily, the player will have a number of pieces from the series contained in Figs. 1-5 and another series from the gures designated 6-10.

Each player arranges his pieces as best he can into one or more design groups, the object of the game being to be the iirst one to have all sixteen pieces with' which each player is charged, arranged in one or more complete designs. If, as is ordinarily the case, no player is able completely to arrange his sixteen pieces initially after the draw, playing continues with the original starter who draws a piece from the board and then exposes one of his original sixteen pieces by laying it face up in one of the areas 26 or 2 on the playing board 25. The player on the starters left then draws and exposes one of his pieces in the same manner and this process continues around the table until someone is able to arange sixteen pieces on the board into complete designs, or until all of the blind pieces are exposed. When all of the pieces of any player are arranged completely into designs then that player then calls the game.

As the playing progresses, any exposed piece in the area 26 or 21 is available to any other player for calling purposes. other player sees that by substituting one of his pieces for an exposed piece of another player, he will complete his board, he may call the game. A penalty of one hundred points may be placed on an erroneous call.

An player may, during his turn, draw from his own or his partners exposed pieces in the areas 26 or 21 rather than drawing from the blind.

When the game is called it may be permissible toadopt a rule whereby any player may try to better his score by rearranging his pieces which he has located on theY playing board.

A raiding and raid defense feature may be added to the game to make it more exciting.r Thus, in addition to drawing from the blind or from the exposed pieces as described above, a

player may choose to raid an opponentsboard and steal anyv piece thereon which is not properly defended. If a player elects to raid, the piece stolen constitutes his draw and'he must exchange one of his pieces for the one taken. To be safe from such a raid, a piece mustbe a part of a connected cluster of pieces (completed design or portion of potential design), and the cluster must be associated witha multiplier piece which has a value equal to or greater than the number of pieces in the cluster. Any number piece not associated with the design in process of construction may also be raided.

The opponents exposed pieces maybe raided, if

vin the case of a pattern piece it completes a design, or if it is a number piece it matches the number of pieces in a design.

The basic game with or without the raiding feature, can be played by two, three or more players without teaming up in partnerships.

Various scoring arrangements may be, adopted. Thus, a winner who calls the gameA rst may be given one hundred points, for this. Partners add their scores together for a team score. Individual designs are scored by counting the number of pieces in a design and multiplying their sumby the amount of the multiplier piece. The multi# plier may have any number equal or less than any number in the design. A multiplier piece cannot be applied to a design containing a smaller number of pieces than Ithe multiplier piece. If the multiplier piece, however, equals the num` ber of pieces in the design, the product is doubled. If the design is a balanced one, i. e., symmetrical,` an additional bonus of ve is given for each piece in the design. The bonus for a balanced piece itself is added after the multiplication of the number of pieces of the value of the multiplier piece. If every design on the board is balanced, and the multiplier pieces all match their respective design, a further bonus of one hundredA may be given. If all the pieces are utilized in a single design, the total score is doubled.

On the basis of the foregoing scoring rules the score which would be given for a design such as shown in Fig. 18 would be 75. The score for a design shown in Fig. 19 would be 102, and the score for the design shown in Fig. 20 would be 168.

It will be apparent that instead of playing the game with the playing boards exposed, as described above, the boards may be tilted upright or otherwise hidden from the view of the other players, thereby preventing them from viewing and knowing the progress of their competitors.

Having described my invention and the pres- That is,v if any aptly preferred` embodiments thereof, what. is claimed as new is:

1. A game designed to test a players skill in constructing geometrical patterns, including a set of square playing pieces of uniform size wherein two different types of distinguishing indicia generally designated as X and Y are located at the corners and mid-points of the sides of said pieces, one group of said pieces having only the indicium Y located at the mid-point of one side, another group of said pieces having only the indicium X located at one corner with the indicium Y being located in the mid-points of the two sides intersecting at said corner having the indicium X, another group of said pieces having only the indicium X located at two adjacent corners with the indicium Y being located at the mid-points of the three sides which intersect at the two co1'- ners bearing the indicium X, another group of said pieces having only the indicium X located at -three of the corners with the indicium Y being located at the mid-point of each of the four sides, and another group of said pieces having the indicium X located at each of the four corners, with the indicium Y being located at the mid-point of each of the four sides.

2. The game called for in claim 1 wherein the indicium Y is in the form of an arrowhead having a shaft which radiates from the center of each square piece.

3. A game designed to test a players skill in constructing geometrical patterns, including a set of square playing pieces of uniform sizes wherein two different types of distinguishing indicia designated as Z and Y are located at the corners and mid-points of the sides of said pieces, one group of said pieces having only the indicium Y located -at one corner, another group of said pieces having only the indicium Z located at the mid-point of one side with the indicium Y being located at each of the two corners at the ends of said side having said indicium Z, another group of said pieces having only the indicium Z located at the mid-points of two in tersecting sides with the indicium Y located at the three corners adjacent said indicia Z, another group of pieces having only the indicium Z located at the mid-points of three sides and the indicium Y located at each of the four corners, and another group of pieces having the indicium Z located at the mid-point of each of the four sides, and the indicium Y located at each of the four corners.

4. The game called for in claim 3 wherein the indicium Y is in the form of an arrowhead having a shaft which radiates from the center of each square piece.

5. The game called for in claim 1 wherein each area having an indicium X located in the corner is colored differently from those areas not having an indicium X located in the corner,

6. The game called for in claim 3 wherein each area having anindicium X located therein is colored differently from those areas not having an indicium X located therein.

7. AV game designed to test a players skill in constructing geometrical patterns, including a set of square playing pieces of uniform size wherein at least two of three different types of distinguishing indicia generally designated as X, Y and Z are located at the corners and mid-points of the sides of said pieces, one group of said pieces having only the indicium Y located at the mid-point of one side, another group of said pieces having only the indicium Y located at one corner, another group of said pieces having only the indicium X located at one corner with the indicium Y being located in the mid-pointsA of the two sides intersecting at said corner having the indicium X, another group of said pieces having only the indicium Z located at the midpoint of one side with the indicium Y being located at each of the two corners at the ends of said side having said indicium Z, another group of said pieces having only the indicium X located at two adjacent corners with the indicium Y being located at the mid-points of the three sides which intersect at the two corners bearing the indicium X, another group of said pieces having only the indicium Z located at the mid-points of two intersecting sides with the indicium Y located at the three corners adjacent said indicia Z, another group of said pieces having only the indicium X located at three of the corners with the indicium Y being located at the mid-point of each of the four sides, another group of pieces having only the indicium Z located -at the mid-points of three sides and the indicium Y located at each of the four corners, another group of said pieces having the indicium X located at each of the four corners, with the indicium Y being located at the mid-point of each of the four sides, and another group of pieces having the indicium Z located at the mid-point of each of the four sides, with the indicium Y located yat each of the four corners.

GORDON FENNIEN BUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flleof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 214,048 Macy Apr. 8, 1879 278,646 Williams May 29, 1883 377,832 Kimball Feb. 14, 1888 471,666 Doty Mar. 29, 1892 487,798 Thurston Dec. 13, 1892 647,814 Dorr Apr. 17, 1900 1,666,448 Hardensten Apr. 17, 1928 2,162,876 Barton June 20, 1939 2,232,046 Bigman Feb. 18, 1941 2,484,026 Gutridge Oct. 11, 1949 

